Dealer Test drive refusal?!?!

[GripTime]

No, car was outside in the elements. Done w them and him.

Car outside! No test drive! Yep, tell them to kick rocks.

Well, maybe give them a lowball price first!

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[VRYALT3R3D]

Whose whining? I'm just asking a question amongst mustang enthusiasts on a forum. This is what forums are for. Correct??
Anthony

You were about to go full Karen and speak to the General Manager and complain to Ford Corporate lol

 

[ShelbyMilk]

I have had dealers do the same thing but its for a good reason...sometimes.

Every Tom, Dick and Harry wants to go down to the local Ford dealer to "test" drive their newest performance car. More times than not its not b/c they want to buy a car. Lets be honest do you want some idiot rowing the gears in "your" car/ driving it like they stole it...prob not.

The test drive can make the sale....so there is the other side of it.

And there is the other BMW, Audi etc..etc dealers that let you test drive their 100k + car w/o much question. But they are sniffing you out the entire time.


I would rather buy the car with 12 miles vs 235 miles and people just hooning it hard and its not even broken in yet at 7000rpm? (not sure if much damage could be done and it has a warranty)...but thats a personal pref and less risk in my mind.

(sorry to the Toms, Dicks and Harrys)

 

[Bronzecoyote]

I had the same experience when I bought my 2011 shelby... I ask a dealership in the cuty i live in to test drive the shelby they had. They said no so i left and went to a dealership in the neighboring city test drove the one they had and bought it. Then I drove back to the dealership tht didn't let me test drive and asked them how do you like me now.

 

[BoostRabbitGT]

I've been able to test drive a variety of cars recently. But in regards to this topic I have one question. Is it a good thing or a red flag to watch out for if a dealership lets you test drive a car without the salesperson present and without the dealer license?

 

[Q6543]

There are just too many bums and hustlers.
if it’s a normie car, sure enjoy your test drive.

when my brother bought his GT500 there was no test drive available… something like you can test drive after the paperwork’s been signed… on specialty cars they need commitment.

 

[roadpilot]

I have had dealers do the same thing but its for a good reason...sometimes.

Every Tom, Dick and Harry wants to go down to the local Ford dealer to "test" drive their newest performance car. More times than not its not b/c they want to buy a car. Lets be honest do you want some idiot rowing the gears in "your" car/ driving it like they stole it...prob not.

The test drive can make the sale....so there is the other side of it.

And there is the other BMW, Audi etc..etc dealers that let you test drive their 100k + car w/o much question. But they are sniffing you out the entire time.


I would rather buy the car with 12 miles vs 235 miles and people just hooning it hard and its not even broken in yet at 7000rpm? (not sure if much damage could be done and it has a warranty)...but thats a personal pref and less risk in my mind.

(sorry to the Toms, Dicks and Harrys)

You, too, would not be employed very long as a car salesperson if you refused to allow "certain" potential customers test drive vehicles based on a stereotype.

Oh, and it's not "my" car those "idiots" would be rowing gears in -- it belongs to the dealership.

 

[roadpilot]

I had the same experience when I bought my 2011 shelby... I ask a dealership in the cuty i live in to test drive the shelby they had. They said no so i left and went to a dealership in the neighboring city test drove the one they had and bought it. Then I drove back to the dealership tht didn't let me test drive and asked them how do you like me now.

Outstanding decision.

 

[roadpilot]

when my brother bought his GT500 there was no test drive available… something like you can test drive after the paperwork’s been signed… on specialty cars they need commitment.

At which point I would have given them the finger and walked.

My 2016 C7 Z06 was a more expensive and higher performance vehicle than the GT500, and they wheeled that b*tch out of the center of the showroom so I could test drive it. FWIW, I had never stepped foot in that dealership before, so they didn't know me from Adam. No, they didn't ride along with me on the test drive. Yes, I bought it.

 

[Stonehauler]

My thoughts. I will never buy a car without a test drive. Even if It's a special order. There are just too many things that can be wrong with the vehicle that you are never going to find.

If I am serious about buying the vehicle, I am willing to sit down with them and even get all the ducks in a row in terms of financing and payment. But you better believe that before I take delivery of that vehicle from the dealer, I am going to want an "acceptance test". If I could not get a test drive before I did all this, that mean I am also going to walk away if that vehicle does not perform the way I wanted. If it's too anything...soft, firm, corners poorly, too hard on my back, I am hearing funny noises from the engine bay that don't belong, clunks in the drivetrain that should not be there, etc...ANYTHING...I am going to walk away. That also means a visual inspection of the vehicle inside and out.

I've seen a vehicle with significant body damage that a dealership wanted to sell me (I saw it was damaged as it pulled off the delivery truck). They said they would fix it and make it right. When I asked if that would mean a significant discount, they said no because it was fixed good as new. Kind of flies in the face of what they would tell you wouldn't it..."factory paint can't be replicated outside the factory and if the car is repainted, it's damaged and not worth as much".... I told them they could order me a new one and sell this one instead to someone else...

They would insist that I let them test drive my vehicle prior to them buying it, I see absolutely no reason not to insist on one of my own.

 

[roadpilot]

My thoughts. I will never buy a car without a test drive. Even if It's a special order.

Some people think that, if you have a car ordered by a dealership, you HAVE to buy it and/or they HAVE to sell it to you. Neither are true statements, unless there is a signed contract between the buyer and the seller containing that language. Standard purchase agreements do NOT typically have that kind of verbiage in it.

You order a car, it comes in, you drive it, you hate it, you walk away. It's that simple.
You order a car, you lose your job, it comes in, they can't force you to buy it.
You order a car, it comes in damaged, they can't force you to buy it after they "fix" it.

Beyond that, if a dealership demands a deposit, either (a) get it in writing that the deposit is fully refundable for any reason you choose or (b) tell them to pound sand and walk away.

If I am serious about buying the vehicle, I am willing to sit down with them and even get all the ducks in a row in terms of financing and payment.

While you can hash out a final OTD purchase price, you can't really agree to financing terms and payments, as the financial markets will change between the time you order it and the time it gets here. Pre-approvals are only good for a limited amount of time (typically ~30 days @ most CUs and banks), and your credit risk scores can/will change. You'll have to have credit pulled AGAIN when the vehicle arrives and it's time to finalize things, anyways. A lender can't predict what interest rates will be 3-4-5-6 or more months down the road.

 

[BoostRabbitGT]

Some people think that, if you have a car ordered by a dealership, you HAVE to buy it and/or they HAVE to sell it to you. Neither are true statements, unless there is a signed contract between the buyer and the seller containing that language. Standard purchase agreements do NOT typically have that kind of verbiage in it.

You order a car, it comes in, you drive it, you hate it, you walk away. It's that simple.
You order a car, you lose your job, it comes in, they can't force you to buy it.
You order a car, it comes in damaged, they can't force you to buy it after they "fix" it.

Beyond that, if a dealership demands a deposit, either (a) get it in writing that the deposit is fully refundable for any reason you choose or (b) tell them to pound sand and walk away.

While you can hash out a final OTD purchase price, you can't really agree to financing terms and payments, as the financial markets will change between the time you order it and the time it gets here. Pre-approvals are only good for a limited amount of time (typically ~30 days @ most CUs and banks), and your credit risk scores can/will change. You'll have to have credit pulled AGAIN when the vehicle arrives and it's time to finalize things, anyways. A lender can't predict what interest rates will be 3-4-5-6 or more months down the road.

Thanks so much for sharing this! I was just about to ask about the dealership deposit game for a custom order.

 

[roadpilot]

Thanks so much for sharing this! I was just about to ask about the dealership deposit game for a custom order.

Unless you're ordering a unicorn (e.g., you want an orange car with pink polka dots and blue interior) that would be difficult for a dealer to sell if you back out, there really is no reason they need your $500 (or whatever). They have to order vehicles for dealer stock - you're just helping them pick one out that will have a very good chance you'll buy and they won't have to have in stock at all.

I've told people this for years: If they want a NON-refundable deposit just to place an order for something that's not crazy stupid, don't walk -- RUN away while telling them to pound sand. I don't do business with shysters who try to screw everyone that walks in the door.

Better yet, build a relationship with a single dealership if you can. After moving long distance several decades ago, I did this. I walked into the local Ford dealership and told the salesman I was there to build a relationship, not buy a car. He sold me a car that week, and a couple more two years later. Since then, they've sold me 12 more: Same dealership, same salesman except for the last one -- he had retired, so I bought my last one from there from his son! The only reason I went elsewhere for the DH was they couldn't get me what I wanted, and I found THE car I wanted on the assembly line @ FRAP that had been ordered as dealer stock by another dealership. Took delivery a week later. Point being, my regular dealership treats me great and bends over backwards all the time, all because I built a relationship vs trying to buy a car for the lowest price.

 

[Radiant]

Lol, the most unicorn I'd get is if they offered Gotta Have It Green or an Emerald Green S650 with the Space Grey Interior on both base and Premium GTs

Unless your spec is more expensive than a Dark Horse, you haven't built a "unicorn".

Even if you option a trio of enthusiast packages (e.g. GT Performance Package, MagneRide, and Active Valve Exhaust) you're building a ~$56k GT Premium; that shouldn't require a deposit.

 

[BoostRabbitGT]

Unless your spec is more expensive than a Dark Horse, you haven't built a "unicorn".

Even if you option a trio of enthusiast packages (e.g. GT Performance Package, MagneRide, and Active Valve Exhaust) you're building a ~$56k GT Premium; that shouldn't require a deposit.

Good to know, thanks again. What would you consider the price point of a unicorn car then?

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